Please help me!! Toilet train an almost 3 y.o.

cbs880

Mon, Jul 13 2009, 2:47 pm

Somebody please help me!!

My son (he is the oldest, so neither I, nor he, have any experience in this matter) will be 3 in 2 months. I want to start toilet training him. I opted to buy an toddler potty seat for the regular toilet (which supports him better, since he wont fall in) instead of buying a potty, which would mean training him for the potty, then training him for the toilet.
He is a tall boy and can reach the seat by himself. He isnt scared of the toilet, or the flushing, for that matter. I have sat him there since he was much younger and read him some books just to get him used to the idea...

Now that his upsherinish is looming I really want him to be out of diapers. I dont want to push him, but I am not sure if he is ready or not. Here is whats been going on:
When he wakes up in the morning, I put him on underwear. Every so often I asked him if he needs to go. Once in a while I give him a drink, then about 10 min later I put him on the toilet. More often then not, he goes, sometimes twice. I take him out of the bathroom. We go somewhere in the house. I ask him if he needs to pee. He says no. I remind him to tell me if he needs to go...A Few minutes later, he pees on the floor. I change him, figure he is good to go for a few minutes. He pees on the floor again..
I realize that I need patience 4 this transition, but I am getting frustrated. He cant sit on the toilet all day, and I cant clean up the mess all day if I dont feel I am making progress// We are on day # 4 and I am seeing the same # of pee on the floor as I was in the beginning. He never can tell me when he has to go, Only while its happening (and we are usually far from the bathroom, and he doesnt know how to hold it in) so that doesnt really help.
DOes this mean he isnt ready, or I need to keep trying and see what happens?

P.S.: I offer him a reward every time he pees in the toilet...And if any of you are going to tell me about the target shooter toys, he sits when he pees at this point, so that wont work...Also, he still naps, and for naps I put him on a diaper.
Please advise....

mommyofnineka

Mon, Jul 13 2009, 3:04 pm

I have found that if I toilet train a child before he is ready (and in all cases before he has turned 3) it can take minimum 2 weeks. It sounds like you are doing a great job, but it takes time and patience. Make sure he is rewarded EVERY time he is successful (even with something as small as chocolate chips). Also boys usually take longer than girls and many take even longer during sleep (I have a 10 yr. old boy who still wears pull-ups to bed while my 3 yr. old daughter is dry every night). I have found toilet training goes quicker after they are 3 (especially the boys - I have 4 of them and have tried different techniques with each). Once a boy turns 3 and has his hair cut and a kippah, he sees himself as bigger and you will also view him as bigger and he will see that diapers are for babbies and underpant are for big boys. And if he knows he can't wear tzitzis until he only wears underpants with no accidents, many times this is also a big motivator. I stopped even trying to train my kids before they are 3 and the lat 3 of children ended up training themselves in 1-2 days when they were about 3 & 2 mos. just because they were ready. I hope this helps.